clover as nitrogen fixing living mulch

Posts: 8

Location: Driftless Region

posted 4 years ago

So I have just been getting my garden going, after moving on to this old soy field. Lots of weeds to combat. I put raspberries and asparagus in last spring and laid down a thick layer of white clover seeds around the plants. so far so good, growing in thick and holding the weeds at bay as best as possible, but allowing for intended plants to grow well. My question is- Is the nitrogen being held by the clover since they are living, and not being released to the plants? or are they sharing? I am hoping they create a beneficial environment for each other, but now Im begging to question my self. Thanks for any thing. J

JulieBE

William James

gardener

Posts: 1010

Location: Northern Italy

23

posted 4 years ago

Welcome to the debate of the year.

From what I have heard, there is some sharing going on between still-living nitrogen-fixing plants and other plants that need nitrogen.

I have also heard that Fukuoka "stressed" his clover by cutting it back. The clover drops it's root nodules, there's a general boost of free nitrogen in the area, and other plants gobble that up. The clover grows back and can be stressed again later on.

I observed the grass in my lawn was much less dead and more green next to the clover. Grass likes N so by my observations it does help and would chop and drop so it is composting back into your soils as well as root pruning the good stuff.

William James

gardener

Posts: 1010

Location: Northern Italy

23

posted 4 years ago

Clover is also just a beautiful plant. Nice to have around. Covers things, keeps things fertile, looks good as an edge.

I would suggest it's other friends -- especially if you have a field to cover, you might want to vary your nitrogen fixing plants and throw some nitrogen scavenger like oats (10-40% compared to the clover) or other annual cereal crops to balance the nitrogen and create more biomass.

I've seen seed mixes that do this mixing for you (but you are more limited in your choice of N-fixers) and is sold as field grass for pretty cheap. I found this out after having made my own mix spending a small fortune. William

I keep white clover as a living mulch for brassicas, burdock, jerusalem artichoke, and other things that are mostly above 6"... I don't think it's so important to worry if nitrogen is released in summer or winter - just treat it as a long term gain..

Asparagus seems like a great fit for living clover mulch! I had a question on raspberries if you've seen it: are new sprouts able to come through pretty easily? I've been using wood chips to mulch raspberries, but maybe I should consider living clover mulch?